Tightrope walking - Tsunawaari

This is a form of acrobatics in which a rope is stretched high up and the performers walk along it, focusing on the various tricks performed on the rope. It appears to have existed since ancient times in Egypt, Greece, Rome and China, and is still a major attraction in circuses today. In Japan, it is a type of Sangaku acrobatics that was introduced from China during the Nara period, and the Shinzei Kogakuzu depicts three men and women wearing tall footwear performing Shintama while walking along a rope as "Shinwato Nawa Nodama." From the Middle Ages to the early modern period, it was called "Kumomai" and was performed by Houkashi, from which various types of acrobatic feats were born. Up until the time of the Hoei and Shotoku eras (1704-16), the two-pronged rope was the predominant form, but in 1737 (Genbun 2), a single-pronged rope performer, Kumenosuke, performed an iaido-nuki technique on a single rope at Dotonbori in Osaka, which led to the two-pronged rope falling out of use. During the Horeki era (1751-64), the "Takewatari (two-pronged bamboo)" was created by Sanogawa Tayu of Kyoto, and many other "watarimono" (crossing) acts were created after this. Around the Meiwa era (1764-72), Osaka female acrobat Kozakura Kasen performed "Kamiwatari" (paper crossing) for the first time at Dotonbori, and the female tayu Soun Kogane of the Tenmei era (1781-89) developed this into "Motoiwatari" (crossing with a bridle). Around the same time, various other performances such as Kirin Shigezo's "Ikou Watari (Ippontake)" were created, and towards the end of the Edo period, other performances such as "Rangui Watari," "Aodake Kissaki Watari," "Umbrella Watari," "Shoji Watari," "Kimakura Watari," "Candle Watari," and "Sakazuna" were also performed and enjoyed great popularity. These also had a major influence on the dramatic direction of Kabuki. After the Meiji period, Western tightrope walking was introduced, using wire instead of ropes, and diversified into crossing on a unicycle, and became established as a circus performance.

[Oda Koji]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

高所に綱を張り、その上を渡る曲芸で、綱の上で種々の芸を見せることに主眼が置かれる。エジプト、ギリシア、ローマ、中国などにも古くからあったようで、今日もサーカスの主要な演目である。日本では、奈良時代に中国から伝来した散楽雑伎(さんがくざつぎ)中の一種で、『信西古楽図(しんぜいこがくず)』には「神娃登縄弄玉」として、高足駄(あしだ)をはいた男女3人が綱を渡りながら品玉を演ずるようすが描かれている。中世から近世初頭にかけては「蜘舞(くもまい)」といわれて放下(ほうか)師によって演じられ、ここから種々の軽業(かるわざ)の芸が生まれた。宝永(ほうえい)・正徳(しょうとく)（1704～16）のころまではもっぱら二本綱であったが、1737年（元文2）に大坂・道頓堀(どうとんぼり)で、一ツ綱粂之助(くめのすけ)が一本綱の上で居合抜きを演じたりしたのが端となって、二本綱は廃れた。宝暦(ほうれき)年間（1751～64）に「竹渡り（二本竹）」が京都の佐野川太夫によって創始され、こののち多くの「渡り物」の芸が生み出された。明和(めいわ)（1764～72）ごろに大坂の女軽業師小桜歌仙が道頓堀(どうとんぼり)で初めて「紙渡り」を演じ、天明(てんめい)（1781～89）の女太夫早雲小金は「元結(もっとい)渡り」にまで展開させた。同じころに、麒麟繁蔵(きりんしげぞう)の「衣桁(いこう)渡り（一本竹）」などの諸芸を生み、幕末には「乱杭(らんぐい)渡り」「青竹切先(きっさき)渡り」「傘渡り」「障子渡り」「木枕(きまくら)渡り」「ろうそく渡り」「坂綱(さかづな)」なども行われて大盛行した。これらは歌舞伎(かぶき)のけれん演出にも大きな影響を与えた。明治以後は西洋の綱渡りも紹介され、綱でなく針金を用いるようになり、その上を一輪車に乗って渡るなど多様化し、サーカスの芸として定着した。

［織田紘二］

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